This invention relates to humidifiers and more particularly to an improved humidifier suitable for use in hospitals.
Humidifiers are commonly used in hospitals and homes for treatment of various respiratory conditions. When a humidifier is used in a hospital bacteria growth and contamination can develop in the humidifer and aggravate respiratory conditions in patients. Since room air normally is circulated through the humidifier for picking up water vapor and carrying such water vapor into the room the air passing through the humidifier becomes contaminated with the bacteria. The warm moist air in a humidifier is particularly suitable for growing bacteria. Usually after a humidifier has been used for several days the bacteria in the humidifier is at a level where the atomized air emitted from the humidifier contains a level of bacteria that is too high for hospital use. Consequently, the humidifier must either be sterilized or thrown away after each hospital use. Both sterilization and disposing of used humidifiers has been quite expensive. With rapidly increasing hospital costs, it is desirable to reduce costs wherever possible.
Two types of humidifiers are commonly used. In one type, water is boiled in a boiling chamber by passing an electric current between two electrodes submersed in the water. The resulting steam is directed into the room under its own force. In the other common type of humidifier, water is atomized by a spinning disc. As room air is passed through the humidifier the air picks up water vapor created by the spinning disc. The moistened air subsequently is discharged from the humidifier into the room. This design has certain safety advantages in that the water is never heated and there is no risk of burns in the event that a patient should contact the humidifier while it is operating. However, this humidifier design has been extremely difficult to sterilize. The humidifier typically comprises a motor driven disk from which water is centrifugally thrown to form small droplets. Fingers may be provided on the periphery of the disk to break up the water into small droplets or fixed fingers or slots may be spaced from the periphery of the disk for breaking the water into small droplets. These structures are difficult and expensive to sterilize.